Turkey stands with legitimate government of Tunisia, Erdoğan aide says

Turkey supports the legitimate government of Tunisia ahead of the upcoming election process which will take place next year, Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said Wednesday, on the sidelines of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's three-day Africa tour.

Kalın told reporters that Turkey will continue to cooperate with Tunisia to boost bilateral relations and that the country's economy and stability are crucial for Turkey.

He touched upon the ongoing economic obstacles following the revolution in 2011, as well as the issue of security, which poses a threat to tourism in the country. Kalın noted that Turkey has provided significant assistance to Tunisia in the past five years in terms of the equipment, uniforms and education for security forces, as well as in other areas, and will continue to do so.

The top presidential aide also said that the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) continues restoration work for historical buildings in the country and will take more steps in this regard.

Kalın highlighted that Turkey's stronger relations with Africa and official visits at senior levels have been extremely effective in terms of speeding up the bureaucracy, launching new projects and providing support for ongoing projects.

Tunisia is the last destination on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's tri-country trip to Africa.

The country has centuries of history with Turkey. It is considered significant by Ankara for its geopolitical position and as a potential opening route to Africa as a whole. Influenced largely by its former colonial ruler France, Tunisian-Turkish relations have deteriorated over time, despite both countries' common past.